TEHRAN - Citing "positive changes" in relations with Britain, Iranian state television said it would stop airing videotape of 15 detained British sailors and marines.

Since the group was taken into custody March 23, Iranian state television has repeatedly shown videos of three males and one female sailor in its claims they had been in Iranian waters.

However, a Novosti news agency correspondent in Tehran said Monday that despite the announcement, state television showed another clip of the sailors smiling and saying something to the camera, although there was no sound.

In the dispute, Britain claims the sailors were in Iraqi waters, operating under a U.N. anti-smuggling mandate.

Last Wednesday, Britain suspended diplomatic ties with Iran and asked the U.N. Security Council to deal with the detentions.